November 24, 2009
2K Sports Signs Evan Longoria as
Cover Athlete for Major League Baseball 2K10
Fans to help determine final
package cover art for the game in newly launched online poll
2K Sports announced today that Evan
Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays, a 2009 American League Gold Glove and Silver
Slugger Award recipient, will be featured as the cover athlete and spokesman for
Major League Baseball 2K10, the next iteration of the popular Major League
Baseball 2K series. This season, 2K Sports is putting the selection of the cover
image in the hands of fans. Online voting is now open at
www.2Ksports.com/vote,
and fans can select from a gallery of different cover art designs featuring
Longoria and help determine which one will adorn the cover of the game.
“It’s been a milestone year for me,
from winning a Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger Award, to now being selected as
the cover athlete for Major League Baseball 2K10 – this has been a truly
humbling experience,” said Longoria, All-Star third baseman for the Tampa Bay
Rays. “Since 2K Sports is letting fans decide on the final box cover art, I’m
going to have to rally my Rays teammates to ensure that my favorite takes the
lead.”
The third overall pick in the 2006
draft, Longoria made his major league debut in 2008 with the Tampa Bay Rays and
was subsequently named American League Rookie of the Year. This past season, the
stellar third baseman batted .281, with 33 homeruns, 113 RBI’s, and 100 runs,
and became the first player in Rays franchise history to be recognized as
American League Player of the Month. Adding to his growing list of achievements,
Longoria closed out the season with a Gold Glove Award for his superior
individual fielding performance, along with a Silver Slugger Award presented by
Louisville Slugger, given annually to the best offensive player at each position
as determined by the coaches and managers of the MLB.
“When it comes to selecting cover
athletes for our games, we look for players who are more than just a fancy
resume,” said Greg Thomas, senior vice president of sports development for 2K.
“With Evan, he is one of the most fun and exciting players in the game, which
helps complement the vibe we are striving for with Major League Baseball 2K10.”
As a tribute to the phenomenal fan
support the 2K Sports brand has received over the last decade, the final
packaging for the game will be chosen by the public. Fans can now go to the
website,
www.2Ksports.com/vote, to select from a gallery of different cover art
layouts, and the most popular selection will be used on the front of the box.
Voting will be open for only two weeks – from Tuesday, November 24 at 12 noon
EST through Tuesday, December 8 at 12 noon EST, and the final box cover for
Major League Baseball 2K10 will be revealed before Friday, December 11.
2K Sports has also partnered with
Fathead, the leading brand in sports and entertainment graphic products, to
giveaway a limited number of Fathead Jr. wall graphics ($49.99 retail value).
Eligible fans who purchase specially marked copies of Major League Baseball 2K10
for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii at participating retailers may redeem a
unique retail code at
www.fathead.com while supplies last.
Developed by Visual Concepts, a 2K
Sports studio, Major League Baseball 2K10 is not yet rated by the ESRB and will
be available in Spring 2010 for the Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2,
PSP and Windows PC. For more information about Major League Baseball 2K10,
please visit
www.2ksports.com/games/mlb2k10.
